August
21, 2003

SPORTS

New
YSHS golf coach says success is up to players

PHOTO
BY LAUREN HEATON

Seth Bothwell, coach of the YSHS Golf team, and his daughter Allison.

Though Seth Bothwell
is new to the Yellow Springs High School golf team, it didn’t take
the first-year coach long to see the team’s potential to finish
the fall season on top of the league. But he will take little credit for
the success of the team’s six golfers because the outcome depends
mostly on their drive to set goals, practice diligently and cultivate
consistency, he said.

Bothwell wants to
keep his players focused on the goals they choose to address. He sees
his role as coach as being less of a navigator and more of a positive
signpost.

“I think it’s
important that this is those six people’s team because they’re
the ones out there playing, practicing and setting goals for the team,”
he said. “I’m there to help them and try to steer us down
the right road.”

A 1985 graduate of
YSHS, Bothwell has lived in the village all his life except for the six
years he spent in the U.S. Air Force traveling to different parts of the
world and playing golf. Basketball and football took up most of his time
in high school, and he had never played golf before his stint on a base
in Mississippi, where he said he “got hooked.”

“It’s
a challenge, a game you can play against yourself where every time you
go out something different happens,” he said. “One day you
can drive the ball real well, another day you’ll putt the ball real
well, there’s always something different to work on.”

Consistency is one
big thing the YSHS golf team, now in its third year, has decided to work
on this year. Everyone wants to hit the ball the farthest, but there will
always be someone who can do it better, Bothwell said. The key, he added,
is playing “within yourself” and having a tough mental game.

Bothwell feels most
of the golfers are already well seasoned, and that the four returning
players are particularly invested because they started the sport at YSHS.

“They want
to do well because they know they’re setting a precedent for the
upcoming season,” Bothwell said. “They’re the first,
and they really have the drive and the talent to do well.”

The team has done
most of its practicing at Locust Hills Golf Course in Springfield, where
all the home matches will be held. Adjusting to new courses is one of
the challenges Bothwell has identified so far. When the team practiced
the course for the first away match, it helped them secure a win, he said.
The team has had more trouble at the away matches.

During a match, Bothwell
hangs back at the first tee to see off the first six flights. Then he
likes to bounce around from hole to hole and give his players advice on
adjusting a swing or recovering from a wayward shot. Bothwell said it
sometimes takes him awhile to make it all the way to the front player,
but he has confidence that when he gets there he will find that things
are in good shape.

Bothwell has a laid
back style, perhaps cultivated over the years by raising three girls.
The eldest, Jill, is planning on coming out for the team as a freshman
next year. Not that her father has tried to influence her. He said he
wants to let his daughters choose their own path.

The same thing goes
for his team. Bothwell is most interested in creating a positive experience
for everyone involved.

“Winning’s
nice, but my main responsibility as a coach is that we have a good time,”
he said. “I want them to be able to look back and say they had fun.”

—Lauren
Heaton

Alumni
soccer games 2003Alumnae
vs. YSHS girls
The air was hot and muggy as the alumnae kicked off against the Yellow
Springs High School girls soccer team Saturday, Aug. 16, a 5:30 p.m. for
the first of the annual alumni soccer games. YSHS scored first, with an
outside goal by Erin Silvert-Noftle. The score was evened by the alumnae
before the half by Jessica Zagory, assisted by Louisa Bradtmiller.

In the second half
both teams tired in the heat and suffered defensive breakdowns, but they
also dug deep for truly inspired offensive efforts. The alumnae started
the second-half scoring with a pair of goals, the first by Schelle Crosswhite,
assisted by Katie Duckwall, and the second by Bradtmiller, assisted by
Duckwall.

YSHS returned the
favor with their own pair of back-to-back goals, both scored by Megan
Burrick, with Emily Dozeman assisting the first. Burrick’s second
goal, a lofting shot from the corner of the penalty box, proved so inspiring
that Duckwall and Bradtmiller teamed up for a quick combination off the
restart, resulting in a blistering shot by Duckwall, which ended the scoring
for the game at 4–3 in favor of the alumnae.

Outstanding defensive
play for YSHS was anchored by Lila Jensen in goal, who came up with numerous
saves, supported by Kara Deardorff and India Scarver as stopper and sweeper,
Becky Pasch and Lydia Gerthoffer as defensive backs. Alumnae defense was
led by Mindy Fogt in goal, Katherine Grubbs and Jocelyn Hardman at stopper
and sweeper, with consistent tackling by Myra Malishenko and Luisa Bieri
on each wing. Finally, both teams benefited from the work ethic and play
making of their center mid-fielders, Silvert-Noftle and Sarah Wallis.

Alumni vs.
YSHS boys
Playing the nightcap of the Boys/Girls Alumni doubleheader, this year’s
boys varsity soccer team did something that no high school squad has ever
done over the years — they shut out a talented alumni squad, defeating
them 3–0.

Noah Woodburn opened
the scoring in the first half by lifting the ball over the head of the
alum’s goalkeeper. Duncan Silvert-Noftle collected the assist.

Silvert-Noftle added
to the lead midway through the second half, and Anthony Brandon closed
out the scoring just minutes before time expired, giving the ’Dogs
the victory.

A stingy defensive
line led by senior goalkeeper Matt Phillips and senior sweeper Aaron Zagory
turned back every offensive push by the alumni. With this win, the Bulldogs
completed a perfect preseason, beating Stebbins 3–1, Graham 8–0
and the alumni 3–0.

Girls soccer team starts fall with win
The Yellow Springs High School girls soccer team won its season opener,
defeating Springfield Shawnee, 6–5, on Monday.

Playing on the road,
the Lady Bulldogs passed well and communicated well, and most of the goals
were scored through strong teamwork, assistant coach Sarah Wallis said
Tuesday.

Emily Foubert, playing
center-forward, scored on a header off of a corner kick from Erin Silvert-Noftle.
Foubert and Silvert-Noftle combined to score five goals in the game. Silvert-Noftle
was one of three starting freshmen, who, along with India Scarver and
Kara Deardorf, put forth strong defensive efforts.

Megan Burrick also
scored once and had two assists, while goalkeeper Lila Jensen had 14 saves.

“The team had
good, even distribution across the front line, and everyone stepped up
and played hard,” Wallis said. “It was a good way to start
the season.”

The Lady Bulldogs
play again on Saturday, Aug. 23, when they travel to Urbana. Game time
is 5 p.m.

The junior varsity
plays its first game of the year Monday, Aug. 25, against Carroll at 7
p.m., at home. The varsity’s first home game comes against Northridge
on Tuesday, Aug. 26, at 7 p.m.

Golf team swings to early 4–1 mark
The Yellow Springs High School golf team had its early winning streak
snapped when the Bulldogs lost to Miami Valley at a tri-match on Monday.

On Thursday, Aug.
14, the Bulldogs won their second match of the year, defeating Ridgeville
Christian, 176–255.

The Bulldogs are
now 4–1 this year.

Leading the team
into its third consecutive season are three returning seniors, Rory Hotaling,
Francis Gayek and Alex Melecki, and one returning junior, David Warren.
Senior Dustin Rudegeair and freshman Alex Visbal also joined the team
this year, which altogether makes for a formidable challenge for the rest
of the Metro Buckeye League, coach Seth Bothwell said.

The Bulldogs will
host their home opener, at Locust Hills Golf Course in Springfield, today
(Thursday), at 4:30 p.m., against Cedarville. The Bulldogs host a tri-match
against Troy Christian and Ridgeville on Monday, Aug. 25.

’Dogs celebrate swimming season
The Sea Dogs celebrated the finish of their season with their annual banquet
on July 29. The swimmers age 10 and under were awardedgoggles and recognized
for the qualities that made them so valuable to the team. The Sharks were
fierce, determined swimmers and racers. They were Logan Chapman, Erika
Chick, Erin Grote, Jesse Jewell, Mary Lewis, Rachel Meyer and Tyler Qualls.

After dinner and
speeches, the kids and parents took to the water for the three-legged
swimmer and the sweatshirt relays. As much fun as it was to race, it was
the spectators who witnessed a high point of the evening, which was watching
coach/swimmer Spencer Jordan, power-backstroking down the lane while balancing
a plastic egg on a spoon clamped in his mouth.

—Ali
Thomas

Cross country team practicing weeknights
Yellow Springs students in grades 7 through 12 are invited to participated
in the McKinney School and Yellow Springs High School cross country teams.

The squad is practicing
Monday through Friday, at 6 p.m., until school starts, at the Yellow Springs
High School athletic field.

The Bulldogs are
coached by Vince Peters, now in his 20th year as the head cross country
coach at YSHS.

For more information,
call Peters at 767-7424 between 7 and 10 p.m. Schedules and physical forms
will be available at practice.

YSHS, McKinney School
‘meet the team’ night

Yellow Springs High
School and the McKinney School will host a “Meet the Team Night”
on Friday, Aug. 22, 7:30 p.m., at the high school athletic field.

All fall teams (grades
7–12) will be introduced to the public. Contests and prizes will
also be held.

19th annual Fun Run to benefit XC team
The 19th annual Village Fun Run will be held Sunday, Aug. 24, 7 p.m. The
start and finish for the trek through the village will be Yellow Springs
High School.

The fun run is open
to runners, joggers and walkers of all ages. Refreshments will be available
after the race. There is a $3 donation for the event. All proceeds will
go to the activities of the YSHS cross country team.

For more information,
call coach Vince Peters at 767-7424.

Youth recreational soccer league sign-up
Registration for the upcoming fall season of the Yellow Springs Recreational
Soccer League will be held on Saturday, Aug. 23, 10 a.m., on the soccer
fields behind the Morgan Building.

Registration will
be followed by a skills clinic for players who are 7–13 years of
age. The clinic will be held from approximately 10:45 to 11:45 a.m.

The recreational
soccer league is open to any child between the ages of 5 and 13.